In battles, there are a few ways in order to protect yourself from damage or various other attack effects. These moves will always work the first turn they're used, with increased Speed Priority to try and make it go first in the turn. However, with these moves, if you successfully used one in the previous turn, the move has a 50% chance of failing this next turn, though this no longer counts for Quick Guard or Wide Guard from X & Y onwards.

There are a few ways to get through these blocks, but they vary from move to move. This page details each of the protection moves, as well as what moves can get through them.

Endure runs differently to the other moves. It doesn't prevent damage from attacks, but rather it prevents the Pokémon from fainting.

When Endure is used and is successful, it will prevent the user from being knocked out by leaving the user with 1 Hit Point. This lasts the entire turn so it can receive multiple hits which end up doing no damage. This can be used with multiple strategies and moves including Reversal so that you can get your Hit Points down safely and then do massive damage

Several items and abilities work in a similar manner to Endure; Sturdy leaves the user with 1 Hit Point if the user was to be knocked out when having full Hit Points. In a similar manner, the item Focus Sash works in an identical way. However, the other item; Focus Band will work regardless of Hit Points as it has a 10% chance of allowing the user to hold on from a move which would knock it out. Like the previous item, it'll leave it at 1 Hit Point.

Quick Guard is an alternative to Protect. Unlike Protect, which works on all moves, Quick Guard prevents all effects from moves with a heightened Speed Priority. In addition to that, it also protects all the player's Pokémon on the field rather than just the user.

However, even though it blocks all moves with a Speed Priority of 1 or higher, it does not block moves increased in speed priority by the ability Prankster. In addition to that, the move Feint will hit through this move, as it does with Protect and Detect.

Wide Guard is another alternative to Protect. However, Wide Guard protects against specific moves, specifically moves which have more than one target such as Surf & Earthquake. In addition to protecting the user, it protects all of the user's allies in battle for that turn.

This effect doesn't just correspond to moves used by the opponent, but it also protects allies from damage from moves by other allies which would inadvertantly damage them, such as Surf which hits all neighbouring Pokémon.

Crafty Shield is a move that is known by one Pokémon, Klefki. This move runs a bit differently and only protects Pokémon from Status moves. All damaging moves will bypass the block.

This block works not only for the user of the move, but rather the user and all its team-mates, making it a decent strategy in Double & Triple battles. Unlike Protect, it has a Speed Priority of 3 rather than 4.

King's Shield is a move that is known by one Pokémon, Aegislash. This move runs similar to Protect, but only protects the Pokémon from damage. In addition to that, if the opponent makes physical contact with the Pokémon when it uses this move, the opponent's Attack stat will drop two stages.

This block works only for the Pokémon and can be broken by the same moves as Protect. It has a Speed Priority of 4.

If Aegislash is in its Blade Forme when it uses this move, it will revert back to Shield Forme.

Mat Block is a move that is known by one Pokémon, Greninja. On the first turn a Pokémon is out, this move can be used. When doing so, it will protect itself, and its allies, from damage from attacks. Status moves shall still go through and various other moves such as Feint and Phantom Force will break it.

Spiky Shield is a move that is known by one Pokémon, Chesnaught. This move runs similar to Protect, but only protects the Pokémon from damage. In addition to that, if the opponent makes physical contact with the Pokémon when it uses this move, the opponent receives damage equal to 1/8th of their maximum Hit Points. After first use, it has a 33% chance of succeeding in subsequent consecutive turns

This block works only for the Pokémon and can be broken by the same moves as Protect. It has a Speed Priority of 4.